Five years had passed...
Today, dark storm clouds covered the capital.
The roar of helicopter blades shook the air above Military Airbase Zero.
Dozens of armored vehicles stood in perfect formation along the runway.
Hundreds of elite soldiers stood at attention without moving an inch.
Silent.
Tense.
No one dared speak.
Because today-
someone was coming home.
"The jet has entered our airspace."
An officer's voice broke the silence.
The next second-
everyone straightened instinctively.
Tension spread across every face.
Even several senior generals looked nervous.
And they had every reason to be.
Because the man stepping off that jet...
was no ordinary soldier.
He was a living legend.
A war machine.
A nightmare whispered about in the criminal underworld.
ASHURA.
---
Meanwhile-
inside a black military jet bearing no insignia...
a man sat alone.
Kael Vortex.
His dark eyes were closed.
His body remained perfectly still.
Yet the cold aura surrounding him made the entire cabin feel suffocating.
Standing beside him was a closely cropped man with a rigid military bearing.
Edward Kane.
Ashura's right-hand man.
"Commander."
Edward finally broke the silence.
"We'll be landing in three minutes."
Kael slowly opened his eyes.
The temperature in the cabin seemed to drop instantly.
His eyes were dark.
Far too dark.
There was no trace left of the warm man he had been five years ago.
All that remained was someone who had walked through too much blood and death to ever be the same again.
"Don't call me that anymore."
Silence.
The atmosphere grew even heavier.
"Yes... Boss."
Kael drew a slow breath before turning toward the window.
The city was visible beyond the clouds.
The same city...
that had once destroyed his life.
"Still the same," he murmured coldly.
Edward said nothing.
He had been at Kael's side for years.
He had watched the man walk through battlefields littered with corpses without the slightest change in expression.
Yet every time Kael looked down upon this city-
something inside him changed.
Colder.
More dangerous.
"Everything is ready," Edward said carefully.
"The Vortex family has no idea you're back, Boss."
"Good."
Kael's voice was flat.
"I didn't come back for a family reunion."
---
BRAAAAAAM!
The massive jet finally touched down.
A violent gust of wind swept across the runway.
The cabin door slowly opened.
And the entire base seemed to tense at once.
THUD.
A black boot touched the runway.
Kael stepped out.
He wore a long black coat and dark leather gloves.
His tall, powerful frame radiated an almost suffocating pressure.
His gaze was cold.
Untouchable.
And the moment the soldiers saw his face-
they dropped to one knee.
THUD!
The sound echoed across the entire runway.
"WELCOME BACK, LORD ASHURA!"
Hundreds of voices thundered through the air.
Kael merely frowned.
His gaze shifted toward Edward.
One deep look.
No words necessary.
Edward immediately lowered his head.
"Sorry, Boss."
"I had no idea they were planning a welcome ceremony."
Kael exhaled quietly.
Then he walked off the runway without another word.
And somehow, that made everyone even more nervous.
Because they all knew-
a silent Ashura was far more terrifying.
---
At the far end of the runway-
several senior military officials hurried toward him.
One of them was a four-star general.
He lowered his head respectfully.
"Lord Ashura... the President hopes you'll attend a dinner tonight-"
"I'm busy."
Kael cut him off without hesitation.
The general froze.
No one dared show the slightest reaction.
Because only Ashura could turn down a direct invitation from the President...
and walk away without consequences.
Edward stepped forward.
"Boss has just completed a long flight. Cancel all scheduled events."
"Of-of course."
The officials immediately stepped aside and lowered their heads.
No one dared stop him.
---
A convoy of black vehicles stretched across the road as it departed the base.
Kael had no desire to make his return a public spectacle.
As far as everyone who knew him was concerned, he had died five years ago.
But some things could not simply be erased from his life.
His family was one of them.
He had returned.
Returned to avenge the deaths of his wife and son.
Inside the lead vehicle-
a heavily armored command car equipped with cutting-edge weapons and security systems-
Kael sat silently, watching the city through the window.
Five years.
Yet the city still disgusted him.
A place wrapped in money.
Covered in power.
And utterly devoid of justice.
"How is the... Vortex family?" he asked suddenly.
Edward immediately pulled up the latest intelligence on his tablet.
"Ryder Vortex is now the primary heir to the family."
"Three years ago, he officially became engaged to Elena Whitmore."
"They're getting married next month."
Silence.
There was no change in Kael's expression.
But Edward knew better.
The calmer his boss became...
the more dangerous he was.
"They've expanded rapidly," Edward continued cautiously.
"When Boss was first sent to prison, a large portion of your former assets were immediately transferred into Ryder's name."
Kael gave a quiet laugh.
There was no warmth in it.
"They moved quickly."
Edward hesitated for several seconds before continuing.
"There's something else."
Kael turned toward him.
Edward swallowed.
"The old estate..."
"The Vortex family's main residence."
"According to our intelligence, there's something strange happening beneath the mansion."
Kael's eyes narrowed slightly.
"Explain."
"We detected concealed activity beneath the property."
"Our people tried to investigate..."
"But everyone who got close disappeared without a trace."
Silence.
Kael's expression slowly darkened.
Very dark.
For some reason-
something suddenly felt strange in his chest.
As if...
something was calling to him from that place.
Something he had lost long ago.
Kael closed his eyes for several seconds.
Then spoke quietly.
"We're going there."
Edward froze.
"Tonight?"
Kael slowly opened his eyes.
And for the first time since returning-
a clear murderous intent appeared on his face.
"I want to know..."
"What secret that family has been hiding."
...
Night had begun to fall when the convoy entered downtown.
Neon lights illuminated the streets.
Towering skyscrapers rose on either side of the road.
Everything looked almost exactly as it had five years ago.
But to Kael-
the city felt foreign.
Cold.
Rotten.
And crawling with traitors.
Inside the vehicle, Edward was still studying the tablet in his hands.
"Boss, we've arranged a temporary residence."
"No hotel," Kael replied curtly.
Edward nodded.
He had expected that answer.
Kael had never liked crowded places.
And besides...
this city held too many painful memories.
Suddenly-
SCREEECH!
Edward slammed on the brakes.
The armored vehicle came to an abrupt stop.
Several cars behind them screeched to a halt as well.
Edward's expression sharpened.
"There's a kid!"
Kael slowly opened his eyes.
Under the glow of a streetlamp-
a small child lay sprawled in the middle of the road.
He was painfully thin.
His clothes were torn and filthy.
Blood ran from one knee.
But the most disturbing thing-
were the bruises covering his arms.
Edward immediately stepped out.
"Hey, kid! Are you crazy?! You almost got yourself killed!"
The child didn't answer.
He scrambled to his feet and immediately clutched something tightly against his chest.
Bread.
A cheap loaf that had fallen onto the pavement.
Yet somehow, the boy seemed more distressed about the dirt on the bread than the blood on his own knee.
"Don't step on it..."
"Please..."
His voice was barely audible.
Hoarse.
Like a child who had spent far too long crying.
Edward frowned.
Then the rear door opened.
Kael stepped out.
And when the boy looked up-
time seemed to stop.
Their eyes met.
Kael froze.
Because the boy's eyes...
looked remarkably like his own.
Dark.
Sharp.
But filled with pain.
For one impossible moment, Kael felt as though he were looking at a younger version of himself.
The boy went completely still too.
He stared at Kael without blinking.
As if he were looking at someone who had existed only in his dreams.
And for some reason-
a strange warmth spread through his chest.
Slowly...
the boy took a step toward him.
Edward immediately became alert.
But Kael raised one hand, stopping him.
The boy stopped directly in front of Kael.
His small body trembled.
His face was streaked with dirt.
Yet his eyes never left Kael's.
Then-
in a tiny, trembling voice-
he whispered,
"...Dad?"
Silence.
Edward's eyes widened.
"W-What?"
Kael didn't move.
His gaze remained locked on the boy's face.
His heart was beating strangely.
Hard.
Uneven.
But that was impossible.
His son was dead.
Five years ago.
"S-Sorry..."
The boy swallowed.
"I mean... sir."
His voice trembled.
Kael slowly crouched in front of him.
"What's your name?"
The boy looked nervous.
As though he were afraid of giving the wrong answer.
"A-Aiden..."
Kael stopped breathing for a moment.
Aiden?
The name Luna had once chosen with a bright smile.
«"If we have a boy... I want to name him Aiden."»
Back then, Kael had simply laughed.
But now-
the name struck him like lightning.
Edward began to realize something was wrong.
His gaze shifted between Kael and the boy.
And the longer he looked...
the more obvious the resemblance became.
Their facial features were almost identical.
"Who gave you that name?" Kael asked quietly.
Aiden lowered his head.
"Mom..."
His answer was barely audible.
But inside, another thought followed.
My mom... in my dreams.
He often dreamed about his parents.
His mother would call him by that name.
And the father in those dreams...
looked almost exactly like the man standing in front of him.
That was why he had called Kael "Dad."
For a moment, Aiden had thought he was dreaming again.
"Where is your mother?" Kael asked.
Aiden's small body immediately stiffened.
Fear filled his eyes.
"I... I don't have one. I-I don't know..."
Kael narrowed his eyes.
Before he could ask another question-
a harsh voice shouted from farther down the street.
"THERE HE IS!"
"THE LITTLE BRAT IS OVER HERE!"
Several large men came running toward them.
Their faces were rough, their skin covered in tattoos.
And the moment Aiden saw them-
all the color drained from his face.
He instinctively hid behind Kael.
His tiny body began trembling violently.
Edward raised an eyebrow.
"Hmm?"
One of the men pointed angrily at Aiden.
"Get back here, you little bastard!"
Kael's gaze slowly dropped to the small hand clutching the edge of his coat.
And for the first time since returning-
something inside him stirred.
He could feel the boy's fear.
A fear far too deep for a child his age.
The tattooed man approached, spitting onto the pavement.
"Stay out of this. That kid belongs to our boss."
Edward's expression immediately hardened.
"Belongs to...?"
But Kael spoke first.
"Why is he hurt?"
The man snorted.
"None of your damn business."
Kael's eyes slowly moved over Aiden's bruised face.
Then to the old wounds covering his arms.
Then to the faint scars around his small neck.
The air around them began to change.
Colder.
Heavier.
Edward recognized the signs immediately.
Boss was angry.
And that...
always ended badly.
The tattooed man still had no idea what kind of danger stood in front of him.
He stepped forward and pointed directly at Kael.
"I said hand over the kid!"
Kael slowly stood.
His height immediately made the tattooed man look smaller.
Kael's dark gaze settled on him.
"What if I refuse?"
The man gave a rough laugh.
"Then-"
CRACK!
His sentence never finished.
His body flew backward and slammed into the hood of a car hard enough to dent the metal.
Blood sprayed from his mouth.
Everyone froze.
No one had seen Kael move.
All they could see was-
their leader lying half-conscious on the hood.
Kael stood completely still.
His expression was emotionless.
His gaze was terrifying.
"Who..."
His voice was quiet.
Deadly.
"...dared to lay a hand on this child?"
...
